U.S. patent application number 12/594563 was filed with the patent office on 2010-05-13 for transparent multi-tactile sensor.
Invention is credited to Pascal Joguet, Julien Olivier.
Application Number | 20100117974 12/594563 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38566963 |
Filed Date | 2010-05-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100117974 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Joguet; Pascal ; et
al. |
May 13, 2010 |
TRANSPARENT MULTI-TACTILE SENSOR
Abstract
The disclosure relates to a transparent multi-tactile sensor
including a transparent semi-conducting active layer provided
between two transparent conducting layers arranged as an array of
cells formed by the intersection of rows and columns, characterised
in that it comprises a control circuit successively supplying each
semi-conducting portion corresponding to a cell, said control
circuit including a means for analyzing the variation in the
electrical characteristics due to the deformation of one or more
sensor areas, each area including one or more cells, the
semi-conducting characteristic of said intermediate layer making
said cells independent from the measuring circuit.
Inventors: |
Joguet; Pascal; (Sadirac,
FR) ; Olivier; Julien; (Bordeaux, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HARNESS, DICKEY & PIERCE, P.L.C.
P.O. BOX 828
BLOOMFIELD HILLS
MI
48303
US
|
Family ID: |
38566963 |
Appl. No.: |
12/594563 |
Filed: |
April 3, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
April 3, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/FR08/00463 |
371 Date: |
October 2, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
345/173 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/04146 20190501;
G06F 3/047 20130101; G06F 3/045 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/173 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/041 20060101
G06F003/041 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 5, 2007 |
FR |
0754292 |
Claims
1. A transparent multi-tactile sensor comprising a transparent
semi-conducting active layer located between two transparent
conducting layers arranged in a matrix of cells formed by the
intersection of rows and columns, a control circuit successively
supplying each semi-conducting portion corresponding to a cell said
control circuit including an analyzer operably analyzing the
variation in the electrical characteristics caused by the
deformation of one or several zones of the sensor, with each zone
including one or several cells, the semi-conducting characteristic
of said intermediate layer making it possible to make the cells
independent of the measuring circuit.
2. A transparent multi-tactile sensor according to claim 1, wherein
the semi-conducting layer is made of an organic or polymeric
material delivered in a thin layer.
3. a transparent multi-tactile sensor according to claim 2, wherein
the semi-conducting layer is electrically insulated from one of the
adjacent layers using a spacer-held gap, such insulation being
locally broken by the deformation of the activated tactile
zone.
4. A transparent multi-tactile sensor according to claim 3, wherein
the semi-conducting layer is electrically insulated from one of the
adjacent layers using a transparent conducting material, the
electrical characteristics of which are locally modified by the
deformation of the activated tactile zone.
5. A transparent multi-tactile sensor according to claim 4, wherein
the electrical characteristics of the semi-conducting layer are
locally modified by the deformation of the activated tactile
zone.
6. A transparent multi-tactile sensor according to claim 1, wherein
the variation in the electrical characteristics of the activated
tactile zone depends on the pressure exerted on said tactile
zone.
7. A transparent multi-tactile sensor according to claim 6, wherein
the semi-conducting layer locally emits light when it is submitted
to the electrical activation of a cell, all the local light
emissions assimilating it to a display device.
8. A transparent multi-tactile sensor according to claim 1, wherein
the control circuit supplies two scanning frequencies, one for
displaying, the other one for reading the position of at least one
activated tactile zone.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a National Phase Entry of International
Application No. PCT/FR2008/000463, filed on Apr. 3, 2008, which
claims priority to French Patent Application No. 0754292, filed on
Apr. 5, 2007, both of which are incorporated by reference
herein.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
[0002] The present invention relates to the field of transparent
multipoint tactile sensors.
[0003] The prior art already knows transparent multipoint tactile
sensors. These are, for instance, resistive matrix sensors coupled
to a control circuit. Such a sensor is the object of patent no.
EP1719047, for example, relating to a virtual object controller
through a multi-contact touch screen. Such prior art patent relates
to a man-machine interface enabling, for instance, the control of
music software through a touch screen with virtual graphical
objects handling. It relates to a method for controlling a
computerized equipment using a device including a bi-dimensional
multi-contact sensor for the acquisition of tactile information, as
well as calculation means generating control signals as a function
of said tactile information, characterized in that it includes a
step of generating graphical objects on a screen positioned under a
transparent tactile sensor, with each of the graphical objects
being associated with at least a specific processing procedure,
with the sensor delivering, upon each acquisition phase, a
plurality of tactile information, each of said tactile information
being the subject of a specific treatment determined by the
localization thereof with respect to the position of one of said
graphical objects.
[0004] The application for the American patent US20030000721129
relating to an integrated flat OLED touch screen. The touch screen
is provided with electrical contacts used for receiving touch
screen signals and conducting interconnection holes located through
the substate and electrically connected to the electrical contacts.
The screen also includes a flat OLED screen having a display
substrate provided with electrical contacts used for receiving
display signals and a zone exposed on the display substrate so as
to produce an electrical connection to the electrical contacts of
the display screen and the touch screen. Said substrate of the
touch screen composes the coating or the substrate of the flat OLED
screen, the conducting interconnection holes are electrically
connected to the conductors and to the electrical contacts located
on the display substrate, and the substrate of the flat OLED screen
protrudes beyond the coating, so as to produce an electrical
connection with the electrical contacts of the touch and display
screen.
[0005] The disadvantage of the prior art sensors is that the
arrangement in a passive matrix induces difficulties for detecting
several contact points positioned in orthogonal configurations. The
control circuit must then compensate these problems as best as
possible using redundant measurements and an appropriate digital
processing algorithm. This results in a complex control circuit as
well as uncertain measures of the contact points.
[0006] The solution provided by the present invention consists in
implementing a transparent multipoint tactile sensor free of such
measuring defects. The present invention aims at remedying such
disadvantage using an architecture of transparent multipoint
tactile sensors with cells totally independent of one another.
However, the screen according to the present invention does not us
an active matrix of the TFT (Thin Film Transistor) type which would
induce higher manufacturing costs. In addition, the control circuit
is more easily implemented than a passive matrix and the
manufacturing costs are thus advantageously reduced. Similarly, the
industrialization costs of this type of sensor are also
reduced.
[0007] In its broadest sense, the invention relates to a
transparent multi-tactile sensor comprising a transparent
semi-conducting active layer located between two transparent
conducting layers arranged in a matrix of cells formed by the
intersection of rows and columns, characterized in that it includes
a control circuit successively supplying each semi-conducting
portion corresponding to a cell, said control circuit including
means for analyzing the variation in the electrical characteristics
caused by the deformation of one or several zones of the sensor,
with each zone including one or several cells, the semi-conducting
characteristic of said intermediate layer making it possible to
make the cells independent of the measuring circuit.
[0008] Advantageously, the semi-conducting layer is made of an
organic or polymeric material delivered in thin layer. According to
an alternative solution, the semi-conducting layer is electrically
insulated from one of the adjacent layers using a spacer-held gap,
such insulation being locally broken by the deformation of the
activated tactile zone. According to another alternative solution,
the semi-conducting layer is electrically insulated from one of the
adjacent layers using a transparent conducting material, the
electrical characteristics of which are locally modified by the
deformation of the activated tactile zone. According to another
alternative solution, the electrical characteristics of the
semi-conducting layer are locally modified by the deformation of
the activated tactile zone.
[0009] Advantageously, the variation in the electrical
characteristics of the activated tactile zone depends on the
pressure exerted on said tactile zone. According to a particular
embodiment, the semi-conducting layer locally emits light when it
is submitted to the electrical activation of a cell, all the local
light emissions assimilating it to a display device. According to
another alternative solution, the control circuit supplies two
scanning frequencies, one for displaying, the other one for reading
the position of at least one activated tactile zone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] The invention will be better understood while reading the
following description and referring to the appended drawings
corresponding to a non limitative embodiment, where:
[0011] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary
embodiment of the sensor; and
[0012] FIG. 2 shows a schematic front view of such a sensor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] The sensor shown as a cross-section in FIG. 1 includes:
[0014] a matrix of M.times.N cells corresponding to the
intersection of X columns.times.Y rows, [0015] a layer 1 composed
of a series of X transparent conducting columns, [0016] a layer 2
composed of a material, the electrical characteristics of which
vary (voltage, impedance) as a function of the vertically applied
pressure (for instance with a finger or a stylus), or a layer 2
electrically separating the layers 1 and 3 by using for example
spacers like in the construction of a conventional resistive
tactile slab, [0017] a thin layer 3 composed of a semi-conducting
material equivalent to an assembly of vertical diodes, [0018] a
layer 4 composed of a series of Y transparent conducting rows such
as layer 1.
[0019] Layers 1 and 4 can be composed of polyester or glass made
conducting with ITO or a thin layer of carbon (nano-tubes). The
layer 2 can be composed of transparent piezoelectric materials such
as PVDF or a pressure-sensitive conducting material like a polymer
filled with conducting particles. In the case where the layer 2 is
composed of spacers, the pressure information cannot be measured.
The occurrence of a contact or the absence of contact is then
simply measured. FIG. 2 shows a front face of the sensor and of the
control and measuring circuit.
[0020] The principle is as follows: [0021] --Two polarization
potentials V+ and V- are defined so that: [0022] * If V+ is applied
to a column "x" of the layer 1 and V- to a row "y" of the layer D,
the equivalent diode positioned at the intersection P (x, Y) is
conducting. [0023] * In all the other polarization combinations (V+
with V+, V- with V+, V+ with V-), the diode is locked.
[0024] A measurement is carried out on each cell by simultaneously
polarizing the whole of the XY matrix, so as to determine the
electrical characteristics thereof relative to the layer 2 and thus
the pressure locally exerted on this cell. For measure a cell P(x,
Y) all the rows and columns are simultaneously polarized so as to
keep the only diode positioned on the cell P conducting and so as
to lock all the other diodes located on the other cells.
[0025] As this method uses a diode-based active system, it makes it
possible to measure each cell separately without being submitted to
the electrical interactions connected to a passive matrix: the
potentials are not transmitted from one row to the other or
orthogonally from one column to the other, using the electrical
effect locking the layer of the diode C.
* * * * *